The goal of this proposal is to develop basic and clinical insights that can serve as the basis for improved therapies for patients with acute lung injury. To accomplish this, we have developed a program that unifies investigators from throughout the University of Minnesota academic community. Our proposal has 4 key elements: 1) Five Research Projects featuring basic and clinical investigation in molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry, an physiology directed at elucidating fundamental mechanisms of lung repair; 2) a Clinical Core that coordinates clinical research with the care of more than 100 patients with adult respiratory failure annually; 3) a Morphology and Cell Culture Core to facilitate uniform, high quality analysis and maintenance of tissue and cell culture preparations; and 4) an Administrative Core to coordinate the successful operation of the SCOR. Our focus in the current application will be lung repair, because this theme scientifically unites the 5 component projects proposed into an integrated collective. Each of the 5 projects in the current proposal will examine aspects of the cellular, molecular and physiological processes, involved in the resolution and repair of lung injury.